Mental health support is available in the Battlefords for those experiencing overwhelming anxiety and stress surrounding COVID-19. (file photo/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

COVID-19 and mental health

Mental health support available during COVID-19 crisis

Mar 16, 2020 | 3:45 PM

Mental health support is available for those experiencing extreme anxiety surrounding COVID-19.

Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Battlefords’ branch executive director Jane Zielke de Montbrun said people can drop in to the centre if they need advice in dealing with a mental health concern.

“I have had a discussion with one person regarding the anxiety,” she said. “For people who have anxiety currently, and even in all of us, this COVID-19 creates a certain amount of concern, if not anxiety.”

“The only thing you can do with anxiety is face what is making you anxious, and take all the right steps to mitigate those risks,” Zielke de Montbrun said. “I think for all of us, this is a brand new experience. There is really not much at the end of the day you can control, other than what you yourself do… We just all have to do the best we can to keep ourselves safe, and still have some sort of normalcy, if that is possible.”

She said while the CMHA doesn’t provide counselling, it does offer programs about the benefits of “mindfulness” exercises that help people focus, as well as wellness programs to help people in need of mental health support, as part of its services.

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“If anybody is struggling and they don’t know what to do, they are always welcome to come in to our office and talk to myself or one of my staff,” Zielke de Montbrun added. “Depending on what they are experiencing we would maybe come up with a plan.”

CMHA staff may also suggest the individual access the mental health centre at the Battlefords Union Hospital. A CMHA staff member could also go with the person to the mental health centre if they need “that extra support,” she said.

Zielke de Montbrun added the organization is also currently educating its members of the importance of social distancing, diligent hand-washing and other precautionary measures related to COVID-19.

“We’ll just keep monitoring the situation,” she said. “We’ve cancelled all our trips as far as social [recreation] activities go.”

Catholic Family Services of the Battlefords is open and continues to offer counselling services to people, whether pre-booked or on a walk-in basis, that are available to everyone.

“At this time counselling and walk-in are both open,” executive director Kim Morrison said.

“It’s definitely a time of uncertainty that’s unusual in our experience,” Morrison said. “Anxiety is a normal response to the situation. Of course, there are levels of anxiety that can become unhealthy. Anxiety in any form needs to be looked at and managed.”

She suggests people limit their exposure to the media coverage of COVID-19.

Morrison also recommends people find the information they need to know about COVID-19, and then “take a break from it, so we are not inundating ourselves it.”

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow